


I'm sorry Jack

by Sg1sjshipper



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-20
Updated: 2020-09-20
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:48:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26553100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sg1sjshipper/pseuds/Sg1sjshipper
Summary: Hank calls Jack with bad news.
Relationships: Samantha "Sam" Carter/Jack O'Neill
Comments: 5
Kudos: 67





	I'm sorry Jack

I’m sorry Jack  
No beta this time so all mistakes are mine. I hope you enjoy!

“Jack.”  
“Afternoon, Hank. How are things?”  
“Not good, actually. That’s why I’m calling.” General Landry’s voice was deep and serious.  
Jack gripped the phone a little tighter. “Hank?”  
“SG-1 was ambushed.”  
The pause was too long. “And?”  
“Colonel Carter sustained a staff blast through the chest.” Pain flared through Jack’s chest. “I’m sorry Jack, but she was dead when they got her back through the gate. There wasn’t anything we could do.” The world seemed to narrow around Jack, everything around him looked fuzzy and all noises dimmed to a hum. “Jack, I’m sorry.”  
“How?” Jack forced himself to swallow. “How did it happen?”  
“I don’t have the details yet. The rest of SG-1 is in the infirmary. I’ll be debriefing them when they’re released.”  
“I’ll be there in a few minutes.”  
“I thought you’d want to join us.”

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Jack beamed into his old office ten minutes later. Hank hung up the phone as the glow of Jack’s arrival dissipated. “Perfect timing. Carolyn just called to say SG-1 is on their way up.”  
“Right.” Jack’s hands were shoved in his pockets.   
“When I told her you were on your way she asked me to have you stop by after the debriefing. She said she needs to discuss some of Colonel Carter’s final requests with you.”  
“Ok.” Jack was attempting to keep an even tone, but his misery seeped through in the way his shoulders slumped and back curved.   
Hank stood when he heard people entering the briefing room. “After you.”  
Teal’c and Cameron were standing at the table and Daniel and Vala were at the head of the stairs when Jack and Hank walked into the briefing room. Teal’c looked angry and Cameron looked nauseous. Seeing Jack made him a bit greener.  
“Sir.” Cameron straightened his shoulders.  
“At ease Mitchell.”  
Daniel’s head popped up at the sound of Jack’s voice. His eyes were red rimmed, and his face was pale. “Oh god, Jack. I am so sorry.” Vala put her hand on Daniel’s forearm. He looked down at her hand and gave himself a second to get his grief back under control.  
Hank took control of the room. “If everyone would please sit.” Jack took the seat to Hank’s left. Teal’c and Cameron sat beside Jack. Daniel and Vala sat to Hank’s right. “Colonel Mitchell, tell us what happened out there.”  
“We went to meet with Ba’al as planned but we didn’t see anyone when we stepped through. We waited fifteen minutes before we decided to look around. There were three trails leading away from the gate. Teal’c and I took the one to the left. Sam, Daniel, and Vala took the one to the right. We agreed to walk thirty minutes out and then meet back at the gate and search the middle path together.” Cameron rubbed his hands on his pants. “We’d been walking about ten minutes when Sam radioed and said they were under fire. We immediately turned back to provide support.” He stopped to take a breath and swallow a couple times. “She was down when we got there.” He shook his head. “Teal’c and I opened fire, joining Daniel and Vala, and the Jaffa retreated. Teal’c grabbed Sam and we got back to the gate.”

Hank turned his head. “Dr. Jackson, can you fill in the missing pieces?”  
Daniel took a deep slow breath. “Sam took the lead. The staff blast came out of nowhere and hit right between me and Sam. She dove to the left and I pushed Vala as I fell to the right of the path. At first, they focused their fire on Sam’s position. When Vala and I started returning fire they started shooting towards us as well. After Sam radioed Cam, she tried to make it over to our position.” Daniel shook his head. “I couldn’t believe it when I saw her stand up out of the brush and make a run for it.” He swallowed. “She was totally exposed. She was shot as soon as she stepped onto the path.”  
Vala put her hand on Daniel’s arm. “She must have been worried about us. I can’t see any other reason she would have broken her cover like that.”  
Daniel looked down at his lap. “Maybe.”  
“There are going to be a lot of questions asked about this incident, so I want detailed mission reports before you leave for the night.” Hank stood. “Dismissed.”  
Cameron was the only one who stood with General Landry. Daniel looked over as Jack slowly pushed up from his chair. “I’m so sorry, Jack. It happened so fast.”  
Jack nodded as he reached his full height. Teal’c moved down to the end of the table and reached out, lightly gripping Jack’s arm. “I failed you and Colonel Carter. You have my deepest sympathies.”  
“Thanks, Teal’c.”

Jack went to the infirmary, bumping into Dr. Lam in the hall.   
“Sir.”  
“Doctor.” He gave her a small head nod. “I’d like to see her.”  
“Of course.” Dr. Lam’s lips were in a tight line. “This way.” He followed her to the small morgue. She opened the door and he stopped in the entrance, blocking her entry.  
“Which drawer?”  
“Three.” She knew she was being dismissed. “When you’re done, I would appreciate it if you would come to my office.”  
“Sure.” He closed the door as she stepped back. He moved over to the wall of drawers, opening number three, and sliding out the metal tray slowly. A fiery pain spread from his chest to his fingers and toes. He peeled back the white sheet just far enough to expose her face. She was too pale, and her muscles were slack, giving her face a hallowed quality. Her hair looked blonder, possibly because of the unnatural pallor of her face. He wondered if her eyes were still as blue and he pondered lifting a lid for one last look but then his fear that they wouldn’t be as mesmerizing stopped him. He was better off with his memories being unmolested. He ran his fingers through her hair.  
“We were supposed to have more time.” His finger traced along her jaw. “I was supposed to go before you.” He closed his eyes for a moment. “I guess that wouldn’t have been fair to you.” He looked back down at her. “We should have gone together.”

He felt a chill run down his spine. This was the last time he would ever look upon her. His fingers ran along the edge of the tray until he located her hand. He slid his fingers under the sheet and found her fingers. He thread his fingers through hers and pulled her hand out. He rubbed his thumb over her shiny nails, she’d told him clear polish fit within regulations and helped strengthen her nails. He also knew she liked getting manicures and pedicures, even though she didn’t get to go often. Her fingers looked delicate, but he knew that was a mere illusion. She’d used these fingers to bring down enemies, blow up a sun, and show him that he was worthy of her love.

As a tear escaped his eye, he laid her hand back down. He wiped his face as he forced himself to regain his composure. He pulled the sheet back over her face as his throat burned. He slid the tray back in and closed the drawer, ending what he knew had been the greatest love affair of his life. His initial respect for Sam had developed into a deep love, one that he’d hidden for too long, and just as they’d been to act upon their feelings, he’d lost her. He pressed his hand against the drawer cover. He should have known the universe wouldn’t let him be that happy.

He knocked on the doorframe to Lam’s office.  
She stood. “Sir please.” She pointed at the chair in front of her desk. Jack took a seat. “Since you are Colonel Carter executor, I wanted to go over the directions Dr. Fraiser and Colonel Carter left for when she died.”  
“You mean the samples and experiments?”  
“Yes, sir.”  
Jack sighed. “They thought it might be valuable so please do what they laid out and if there is something you think should be added you have my permission to do it. I trust you.”  
“Thank you, sir. I appreciate that. I wanted to be sure you understood that accessing Colonel Carter’s brain means she may not be suitable for an open casket funeral.”  
Jack shook his head. “She’ll be cremated when you’re done.”  
“That will make it a bit easier to do everything they planned out.”  
“Good. Is that all?” Jack put his hands on the arm of the chair, ready to escape.  
“Ummmmm, not quite.” Dr. Lam turned around and pulled open a file drawer. She pulled out a large manila envelope. “These are Colonel Carter’s personal effects.” She held the envelope out towards Jack.  
He stood and took the envelope from her. “Thanks.”  
“Would you like a copy of the study when we’re finish?”  
Jack pursed his lips for a moment before shaking his head. “No, thank you.” He didn’t care what Jolinar had done to Sam, why her naquada levels would rise back to a normal level for her after she lost a lot of blood, or whether her DNA had been altered. Knowing that wouldn’t bring her back.

When he got in the elevator, he considered stopping at her lab, but he decided he didn’t have it in him tonight. He hit the button to leave.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

He dropped his keys in the dish on the small table just inside her door, laid down the envelope Dr. Lam had handed him, and hung his hat and jacket on the peg by the door. He loosened his tie and headed straight for the liquor. He reached to the back and pulled out the good scotch. It wasn’t like she could fuss at him for wasting it. The knot in his throat returned but he forced it down with a swallow of the smooth liquor. She deserved a toast with the good stuff. She deserved more. He walked over to the mantle and ran his fingers along the edges of her pictures, a school picture of Cassie from when she was in middle school, a team picture from several years ago, Janet with Cassie outside at some park he vaguely remembered, her brother with his family, and a recent picture of the new SG-1. She looked just as beautiful in both pictures, but he was drawn to the most recent picture, the one that looked like the woman he’d been allowed to love. He swallowed the last of the scotch as he glanced at the envelope he’d laid down. 

He poured himself another tumbler of scotch before picking up the envelope and sitting on Sam’s sofa. He pinched the metal clasp together and opened the flap, dumping the contents onto his lap. Her dog tags grab his attention first. He rubs his fingers over the raised letters, remembering her latest promotion to Lieutenant Colonel. He placed her combat bracelet, made using one of his buttons, onto his right wrist next to the one he already wore. His had been made using a button she’d given him. A quiet commitment to always bring one another home safely. He felt like he’d failed her as he looked back down at her watch. Her watch looked much like the one he used to wear. As he was leaving for Washington, she’d presented him with a new watch, one less utilitarian but more fitting with his dress blues. On the back one word, Always, was engraved. Her promise to him, the same one he’d made to her more than once. There were three coins, all from worlds that no longer exist. A large silver one from New Tollana, a small silver one from Hanka, and a small gold one from that domed city on the toxic planet. He knew she kept them with her as reminders of what she was fighting for every day. He sat the three coins on the table beside the sofa next to her dog tags and picked up the last item on his lap, a metal compass. Samantha Carter USAF was engraved on the outside. It had been a gift from her father when she graduated from the Air Force Academy. She’d carried it with her through numerous countries and different planets. She’d once told him it kept her grounded, reminding her of the importance of family and duty. He sat the compass with the coins and dog tags before finishing the scotch.

He slowly pushed himself up, turned off the lights, and walked down the hall to her bedroom. He’d teased her for putting her bed awkwardly in the corner, taking up more room than he thought was necessary, but she’d liked how it looked. It did make the bed the center of attention. He tossed his tie and shirt on the dresser before he sat on the edge of the bed to take off his shoes. He stood and added his pants to the pile of clothes. He tossed back the comforter, turned off the light, and climbed in on his side of her bed. He rolled over, facing her side of the bed, and reached out for her pillow. He hugged it to his chest and pressing his nose against it, smelling her scent. How long would it still smell like her? He knew her scent would fade from his memory, just like he could no longer remember how his son smelled as a baby. He finally released the tears he’d been holding back since Hank called. 

He slept fitfully, waking each time he dreamed she was lying beside him. When the alarm rang, he rolled to the edge of the bed and rubbed his face. His mouth had a nasty post scotch taste and he realized he never brushed his teeth. He pushed himself up and headed to the bathroom, grabbing his toothbrush on his way to the toilet. Maybe brushing his teeth while peeing wasn’t his best example of multitasking, but he really had to pee and the taste in his mouth was horrifying. Once he could stand the taste of his own mouth he jumped in the shower, where the smell of her soap and shampoo hit him like a truck. He leaned against the tile and let himself break down again, hoping if he got it out of his system, he could make it through the day. He pocketed her dog tags, the coins, and the compass before leaving the house.

He let Hank know he was there before going to her lab, it seemed like the right place to make the arrangements and he could clean out her personal items between calls and emails. Teal’c and Daniel both stopped by to check on him, but he wasn’t in the mood to socialize and they let him be until lunch time. They returned together and insisted that he come with them. After lunch Daniel and Jack went up to Hank’s office to discuss the plans Jack had outlined. Hank was on the red phone and put his finger up as Jack and Daniel waited in the conference room. Jack heard Hank’s other phone ring, but Hank ignored it and stayed on the phone with the President. Jack reflected that being pulled in so many directions sometimes made him miss being hunted by system lords. When Hank got off the phone, he waved them inside.

“I think Arlington makes sense.” Hank looked over what Jack had drawn out. “The only problem with having a ceremony here is space. The gate room can hold about 30. We can project the ceremony to the training hall and area 51.” Hank turned the page. “The Academy has asked about a memorial as well, but I’m not sure we could project them if we have off world guests here.”  
Jack scowled. “No, probably not. I know she worked with a lot of the faculty.” He sighed. “I’ll call Kerrigan and see what he thinks.”  
The door to Hank’s office opened. “I’m sorry to interrupt but you didn’t answer my call.” Dr. Lam crossed her arms.  
“I was on the phone with the President. I was planning to call you back as soon as we finished the plans for Colonel Carter’s memorial.”  
“Then I’m glad I interrupted.” She held out a file. “I ran into a bit of a conundrum while starting the studies on Colonel Carter.” Hank took the file and opened it. “There’s no naquada.”  
“What?” Daniel stood up and looked over at the file as Hank read.  
“There was no naquada in her system.” Dr. Lam motioned towards the file. “The protein marker is present though.”  
Jack shook his head. “How could that happen?”  
“Part of what Dr. Fraiser and Colonel Carter wanted to study was how the naquada replenished itself. They knew the protein marker was due to a DNA change, allowing Colonel Carter’s body to continue to produce the protein, but the naquada couldn’t be made that way. Her levels should have fallen over the years as she lost blood.”  
“So, you’re saying she lost so much blood she didn’t have any more naquada?”  
Dr. Lam shook her head. “No, I’m not. Even with substantial blood loss I should have been able to find at least traces of naquada. There’s none.”  
Jack put his hand up. “Stop beating around the bush. What are you saying?”  
“I don’t see how that can be our Colonel Carter in the morgue.”

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Sam jerked awake, knowing well the feeling of waking after a zat hit. The room was brightly lit and ornate, a clear sign a goa’uld was involved. Her next awareness was the softness under her, a bed. She lifted her head and was dismayed to see she was no longer in her uniform but was instead in a shimmery skirt and a loose tank top. The thought that someone had changed her clothes made her a little nauseous, but she shook it off when she heard movement across the room.

“Hello Colonel Carter, I am Elena. I am to assist you while you are a guest of my Lord.”  
Sam’s eyes narrowed. “In that case how about we start with exactly which Lord?”  
“You are now in the service of my Lord Ba’al.”  
Sam groaned. “You have got to be kidding me.”  
“Not at all.”  
Sam closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Where is he?”  
“I am not kept apprised of my Lord movements, but if you wish to see him, I can alert the guards.”  
“No.” Sam sat the rest of the way up and swung her legs out of bed. “Was it your lord who changed my clothes?”  
“Of course not.” Elena looked offended. “It was I who put you into more comfortable clothing.”  
“I’d like my clothes back.”  
Elena shook her head. “My lord requested that your clothing and other items be destroyed.”  
“Of course, he did.” Sam looked over at the girl who was probably close to Cassie’s age. “So, what exactly are you supposed to assist me with?”  
“I will assist you with anything you ask.”  
“So you can help me get out of here?”  
Elena smiled. “Anything you ask that is permitted by my lord.”  
“Right.” Sam stood up. “So, are my friends here as well?”  
Elena shook her head. “As far as I know you are the only person my Lord brought back from his last campaign.”  
Sam hoped that meant the rest of SG-1 escaped and made it back to the SGC so they could send out the cavalry. She refused to consider any other, grimmer, alternatives.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

“I’m running a DNA test to confirm my suspicions, but I think it could be a clone. That would explain why the protein was present but the naquada was not.”  
“Oh, course it does.” Jack’s tone was tense.  
Dr. Lam sighed. “If her DNA was used to make a clone it would make the protein because that’s encoded in her DNA, but it wouldn’t contain the naquada.”  
Jack stood up. “A clone means Ba’al.” Nausea crept through him at the thought that Sam had been taken by him. He looked over at Hank. “If there’s any chance he has her we have to find her.”  
“Agreed.”

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Sam looked around the dining room before focusing on her host. It was the first time she’d ever been invited to dinner while being held prisoner.   
Ba’al stood. “Please Colonel Carter, join me.”  
Sam slowly approached the chair beside him. “What do you think you’re doing?”  
“I think I’m offering you dinner.” He sat and waved his hand towards the plate beside him. He picked up his spoon and started eating his soup. After a couple spoonful’s he looked over at her. “I have a wonderful chef, but the food loses a little something as it chills.”  
“By something do you mean the ability to poison me?”  
Ba’al rolled his eyes and took another bite. “I’m eating it.”  
“You have a symbiote to protect you.”  
“So true.” Ba’al looked behind Sam. “Elena, in addition to assisting Colonel Carter with her needs you will also be her taster.”  
Sam watched as Elena moved over to the corner, pulled out a spoon and went to Sam’s bowl of soup and ate a spoonful. After the soup she poured a small amount of wine from the glass beside Sam’s bowl into a separate cup and drank it. She then moved back over behind Sam.   
Ba’al raised his eyebrows. “Do you plan to starve yourself?”  
Sam internally debated it for several minutes but finally decided she needed to find out what game Ba’al was playing. She took the open seat beside him. His bowl was half empty before she took her first taste. It was meaty with a spice she couldn’t identify. She begrudgingly admitted to herself that it was delicious, and she was very hungry.  
“The wine is an excellent vintage, one of the things I liked best about my time on your little planet.”  
“Thank you, but I can’t drink when I’m on duty. I’d prefer water.”  
Ba’al chuckled. “You don’t need to worry about your silly SGC rules anymore. You work for me now.”  
“You didn’t hire me. You kidnapped me.”  
Ba’al rolled his eyes. “Details.” He looked over at Elena. “Please ask the chef to cut up our food. I don’t think we’re quite ready to have knives on the table.” His eyes sparkled as he glanced at Sam. “It looks like the soup suits you.”  
“It’s good.” She ate another bite. “But feeding me good soup doesn’t make me your employee. The SGC will find me.”  
Elena took Ba’al’s bowl as he dabbed his face with his napkin. “That is the best part of this whole plan.” He laid his napkin down and grinned. “They all think you’re dead.”  
Sam dropped her spoon. “What?”  
“It was brilliant, if I do say so myself.”  
Elena took Sam’s bowl. “What was?”  
“I made a clone of you and killed it. No worries though, I’m sure your friends will mourn you appropriately.”  
Sam’s stomach dropped and she regretted the soup. It wouldn’t work, would it? They’d know it wasn’t her, right? Elena picked up her bowl and walked out with a tray. Sam looked up and saw that not only were there two Jaffa inside the room on either side of the door but there were at least four more outside the door. She wasn’t getting past all of them, not right now, but she had to find a way out and she might be on her own now.  
Elena returned with another tray. She made a big deal out of serving Ba’al but he didn’t show her any appreciation. She placed Sam’s plate in front of her and pulled out a fork. She stabbed a small piece of meat and ate it. While she chewed, she speared a piece of the three different vegetables included on the plate and ate them as soon as she swallowed the meat. As soon as the vegetables were in her mouth she walked back to her corner.   
Sam had lost her appetite but Ba’al dug in. “Why?”  
Ba’al answered as he chewed. “Why what?”  
“Why did you kidnap me?” Sam stared at him.  
He put down his fork. “We made a good team.”  
Sam shook her head. “What?”  
“We worked well together when we were hunting for the anti-Ori machine and riding the galaxy of the replicators.” He picked his fork back up and took another bite. “The SGC also cost me my best scientist so it’s only fair that I take theirs.”

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

“O’Neill.” Teal’c entered Hank’s office, interrupting all talk. “There are three possible locations for Ba’al’s headquarters.”

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Sam paid close attention as she was led from her room to the lab. The crumbs in the corners of the drawers gave away who last occupied this space, Nerus. Her computer access was limited, and four guards were assigned to watch her, two inside the room and two outside. She wasn’t even sure what he wanted her to accomplish. His directive had been to be creative, whatever the hell that meant. Did he really think she was going to do any work that would benefit him? Sam flipped through the programs on the computer. Nerus was certainly eclectic in his scientific pursuits, aerospace engineering, biochemistry, genetics, astrophysics, electrical engineering, and terraforming. She sat down and started reading, since learning as much as she could had gotten her out of more than one predicament in the past. She started by examining the schematics for a couple devices that looked Ancient in design.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Teal’c organized twelve free Jaffa volunteers into three infiltration groups. They were assigned to determine if Ba’al or Colonel Carter were at any of the three possible locations. He’d convinced General Landry and General O’Neill that they had a better chance of getting in and back out than SGC personnel. As much as he hated it, he also knew he was far too well known to accompany them. Watching these men leave to search for his friend and not being able to accompany them felt worse than being held hostage himself. 

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Ba’al insisted Sam have dinner with him every night. Elena attended to Sam’s needs all day and all night, only taking small breaks while Sam was working in Nerus’ lab. Poor Elena even had to sleep in Sam’s chambers, which made it a bit tough for Sam to slip away unnoticed. Tough didn’t mean impossible though. She’d been here six days and in that time she’d located a small stash of herbs Nerus had stashed and according to his notes two of them could be used to help one find sleep. It was easy to slip a little of both herbs into her own wine and have Elena be her taster. 

Once Elena was asleep and Sam felt sure she wasn’t going to wake Sam changed into a pair of Elena’s pants, a nice change from the skirts and dresses Ba’al had been supplying for her. The pants were still thin and certainly not as durable as her BDUs but they would do in a pinch.

She moved to the door and opened the gold embossed covering over the opening mechanism. She messed for a moment and then stood to the side as the door slid partially open and then closed. It did it again, piquing the interest of the two guards just outside her door. The third time the door opened and started to close one of the guards reached inside to stop the door from completely closing. Sam grabbed his arm and yanked him inside, flipping him over and liberating his zat, which she used to incapacitate the second guard. She shot the first guard, to make sure he stayed out of her way. She went back to the door mechanism and messed with it again so when she left it would take them a long time to open the door, effectively neutralizing the two guards and her babysitter. Sam knew there were two more guards just down the hall. She crept towards them, glad the stupid slippers she’s been forced to wear were quiet. She zatted one and ducked as the second guard squared off towards her and fired. She kicked out low, knocking one leg out from under him before zating him as well.

She’d paid attention as she was being walked to the lab and dinner but that had only allowed her to catalog a small part of the ship and it was clear this ship had a different layout than most mother ships. She dodged a couple pairs of Jaffa but as she reached a dead end and was doubling back, she ran into a pair who saw her. Running was pointless so she squared up and prepared to fight, knowing she needed to take them both down before they called for backup. 

“Shel kek nem ron Colonel Carter.”  
Sam stayed tense but held back the first blow she’d intended to throw as she processed. “Who are you?”  
“Free Jaffa sent here by Teal’c to assist in your escape.”  
A small smile crept onto Sam’s face. “Seriously?”  
“We have no reason to not be serious Colonel Carter.”  
“Right.” Sam loved the Jaffa seriousness. “Do you gentlemen have a way off this ship?”  
They glanced at one another. “We can ring down to the planet and use the stargate.”  
“After you.”  
There was a small nugget of doubt in her belly but she decided she was better off with a little help, even if she wished there was a more secure way to identify a free Jaffa than knowing her name and uttering a wish to die free. She followed their lead, with one staying far in front and coughing if they encountered another Jaffa, giving Sam and her other escort a chance to hide.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

When they got close to the ring transporter, they were dismayed to find a regular Jaffa party going on. It looked like they were being transported down in small groups with several waiting their turn. Sam and her two new friends back tracked, having to avoid three groups headed to the rings. The halls were clearly getting more crowded. Sam worried the increased traffic wasn’t just because people were waking but also because her escape had been discovered. She tried to rationalize that if there was an active search for her there would be alarms. When they finally find a quiet room, they lock the door and huddle.  
Both Jaffa looked towards her. “Are there gliders on board?”  
“You can fly?” Sam used her many years of experienced restraint to not roll her eyes at another man who assumed she was incompetent.  
“I can.”  
The two Jaffa shared a look before nodding. “Then we will head to the hanger.” They moved back out to the hall and started what turned out to be a longer journey than Sam had hoped. There were several Jaffa in the hanger, but they were in small groups and spread out, allowing her and her escorts to stay in the shadows around the edge of the hanger until they were near a row of gliders. Both Jaffa stood back and looked at her again.  
Sam was very confused by their hesitation. “Which one do you want?”  
“You may take any one you like. We will ensure you leave safely and let those with us on the surface know you are headed to the stargate.”  
“Wait, what? You’re not coming with me?”  
The Jaffa glanced at one another. “Neither of us can fly.” At Sam’s perplexed face he explains. “Not all Jaffa have the privilege to learn to fly.”  
“I see.” Sam momentarily bit her lip. “One of you could come with me.”  
“We will be of more use to you making sure you can leave without impediment.”  
“Right.” Sam turned towards the closest glider as one of the Jaffa reached out and touched her arm. “We will signal you when it is safe to leave.”

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Sam waited nervously until she got the all clear. She didn’t encounter any resistance as she took off. She dipped the glider under the mothership and checked her surroundings. There were two alkesh and three gliders between her and the planet. She let out a slow breath before turning the glider and heading for the planet’s atmosphere, hoping her approach looked insignificant. The voices over her radio began repeating. She wished she had learned a bit more Goa’uld over the years. She could tell there was some kind of back and forth going on and the voices were becoming louder and insistent. She knew she was in trouble when two of the gliders turned towards her and the word shol’va was uttered by someone on the radio. Sam sped up, racing for the atmosphere and hoping to avoid a dog fight. She thought she was going to make it but then one of the alkesh came in from her right and began firing at her. She avoided the blast but had to pull back from the atmosphere, giving the two gliders a chance to get closer to her. They both began firing at her and she was dodging their attacks while trying to mount a response without giving up on her objective, the planet. As much as she would like to flee somewhere else the glider wouldn’t make a long distance trip and she has no idea what else is out there. The ships clearly knew her goal and were doing their best to block her approach to the planet while firing at her. Using a couple tricks she’d learned from Jack she plunged under the alkesh and made it into the upper atmosphere. The alkesh and gliders followed her, continuing to fire on her even as they all had to deal with the heat generated by entering the atmosphere. 

As she entered the lower atmosphere, she spun the glider, avoiding numerous hits, before lifting the nose and taking her glider up and over the two following her. She fired and hit one of the gliders, making it spin out of control. The other glider pilot panicked, allowing themself to enter the debris of the burning glider and sustaining so much damage they also lost control. She pulled up over the debris and struggling glider, barely missing the underside of the alkesh that had caught up to her. The firing intensified as she dove back down, skimming the treetops looking for a landing site close to the stargate. Since her approach would be obvious and word of her escape would proceed her, she would have to make a run for it and all she had was a zat. The closer she was to the gate the better chance she had of fighting her way there. As she tried to turn back towards the clearing near the gate the alkesh clipped her, knocking her to the left into a corpse of trees. The glider split into three pieces, but Sam survived in one piece, albeit a little sore. 

She crawled out of the cockpit. Everything hurt, not unusual after crashing, but she had no time to inventory her injuries. She used a tree trunk to help her stand and looked around her, making sure that for the moment she was alone. Her head was swimming, but she forced herself to get her bearings. She headed towards the gate using the forest as cover. Two patrols ran past her, probably on the way to the crash site. All she wanted to do was collapse but she knew if she did, she’d be dead, so she pushed on. She could hear the commotion around the gate, and she knew it was because of her. She wasn’t sure about her next move until she heard shots ring out. When she looked around the tree she was behind, she saw two Jaffa opening fire on the guards around the DHD. She knew it was her moment and she ran out, firing the zat as she went. She felt a staff blast hit her side, knocking her to the ground. One of the Jaffa had made it to the DHD and was dialing as the other continued to lay down fire. Sam rolled and did her best to hold off the Jaffa firing at her. As the stargate made a connection the Jaffa that dialed grabbed Sam under the arms and hauled her up as they both kept firing. A staff blast hit him in the back, and he dropped her, landing on her legs and briefly pinning her. She struggled to get out from under him as shots landed around her. She jerked on her left leg and began crawling forward as soon as it was free. When she got to the steps the other Jaffa stretched out a hand to her and helped her stand as he kept firing. He pushed her towards the event horizon as a staff blast hit the back of her leg. She tumbled forward and he jumped through behind her, taking a shot to the shoulder as he dove. 

Sam had no idea where they were as they fell out of the event horizon. She was surrounded by Jaffa and in pain, not a great combination. When she rolled to her side to try and gauge the situation the pain radiated through her and she lost focus, almost passing out. Her grip on the zat loosened as three jaffa leaned over her and began yelling. She tried to fight them, but the edges of her vision were turning grey. She was struggling to stay conscious and she was losing the battle. The last thing she saw was the gold emblem of Apophis.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Sam blinked awake, lulled by the rhythm of the machine monitoring her heart rate.   
“Hey there.”  
She smiled at the sound of his voice and then winced when smiling hurt. She forced her eyes open. “Hey. SGC?”  
“Yep, you made it back.”  
“You sent help.”  
“You’re damn right I did.” He reached under the sheet covering her and touched her fingers, remembering for a moment when he did the same thing with the dead clone. “Get some more rest.”

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

She insisted on leaving the infirmary even though she was far from healed. She wanted to be at home, and she wanted a few days with Jack before he had to go back to D.C. Jack drove her home and hovered as she limped up the walk to her door. He hoped she would go sit but once she was in the door she headed to the kitchen. She glanced at her answering machine, which still read zero, before opening the refrigerator.  
“I can get you whatever you’d like.”  
“I can get my own drink.”  
“You can also go sit and let me wait on you hand and foot.”   
Sam rolled her eyes. “You don’t have to babysit me. I’m fine.”  
“Right.” The tension in his voice surprised her. He turned his back to her and looked out the small window over her sink.   
She closed the refrigerator and put her hand between his shoulder blades. “Jack?”  
“Diet coke, no ice. Now go sit.”  
The tension in his voice bothered her but she knew he wasn’t ready to talk to her. She made herself as comfortable as possible on the sofa and reached for the remote. She flipped through the channels until she found a sitcom she knew he liked. He had a glass of water in one hand and her diet soda in the other when he sat down. She scooted closer to him and leaned against him. After a moment he moved his arm from under her and stretched it behind her on the back of the sofa. She took a few sips of her drink before her eyes closed without her permission. Jack rescued her glass before she spilled her drink. Once he knew she was asleep he turned his head and allowed the smell of her shampoo to invade his senses.   
Her discomfort only allowed her a half hour nap. She grimaced as she woke, catching his attention.  
“I can get you some pain pills.”  
Sam shook her head. “Maybe just some acetaminophen. I’ll save the good stuff for bedtime.”  
He kissed the top of her head as he gently slid his arm out from behind her. “I’ll be right back.” When he returned, he handed her two pills and the drink he’d saved from messing up her sofa earlier. “Would you like anything else?”  
She bit her lower lip, so he knew what request was coming. “My laptop?”  
His lips tightened in displeasure. “Sam.”  
“I only got through a little bit of my email backlog and you know I won’t be able to relax as long as I know people are waiting to hear from me. Some of it might actually be important.”  
Jack sighed. “One hour.”  
Sam gave him a small smile, knowing if she worked it right, he’d lose track of time.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Jack let her work for almost two hours before interrupting her with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. She nibbled on it, wishing he’d used a little less jelly or a lot more peanut butter. He washed his sandwich down with a beer and then followed it with a little debbie swiss cake roll. Sam wondered how far he had to dig in her pantry to find that. As the noon news morphed into talk shows and soap operas Sam fell asleep again. This time Jack helped her stretch out on the sofa and covered her with an afghan. He turned off the television and took her laptop over to her kitchen table. It was a good time for him to catch up on his emails.

When Sam woke Jack convinced her to sit outside on her porch with him for a little while. He was convinced the fresh air would help her feel better and she knew it wasn’t worth arguing that catching up on her work was more likely to improve her mood. She refused to admit the feel of the sun on her skin was nice. She tried to engage Jack in conversation but most of his replies were barely more than grunts of acknowledgement. After nearly an hour outside enjoying the warm of the sun but hating the chill from Jack, Sam excused herself to go to the restroom and when she was done she found her laptop and got back to work on her long list of unopened emails. Jack got worried when she didn’t return after fifteen minutes and was displeased to find her in an armchair working again. He decided to let her be since she’d relented to going outside with him for a little while. 

As he thought about dinner, he knew he was going to have to go out and he decided if he was going to leave her, he would get as much done as possible. He made a grocery list and got her order for dinner. She promised she’d be fine and although he was reluctant to leave her alone, even for an hour, he headed out with only one glance back at her curled up in the well-padded chair. He brought back so many bags Sam wondered if he was planning to stay for months. He handed her the grilled chicken salad she’d requested for dinner before unpacking and putting away the groceries. When he was done, he sat down across from her and ate a footlong sub, washing it down with two beers. He turned on the evening news and again avoided conversation. 

Sam had put away her computer for the night when Jack brought home dinner but now that she was sitting here watching him watch the news she wondered if she should get it back out. She’d gone through what appeared to be the most important emails but there was more to clear out of her inbox and she always had several projects to work on. She saw him glance in her direction as he finished his second beer and she knew he could tell what she was thinking.

“There’s dessert.”  
“There is?”  
“Ice cream.”  
“Vanilla?” The small twinge of disappointment in her voice almost made him grin.   
“Yep.” He glanced over at her. “And mint chocolate chip.” Sam’s grin was the reward he’d wanted. “Would you like some?”  
Sam nodded. “Just a little please.”  
When he returned with their desserts, he found Sam back on the sofa, beside where he’d been sitting. He found a movie that he could use as an excuse to not talk and they ate in silence as the main character chased down a terrorist in very farfetched manners that they both knew would never really work and probably weren’t humanly possible. Sam yawned a couple times during the movie, so when it ended Jack handed her the good pain pills and suggested she get ready for bed. It really was too early to go to bed, but all her arguments faded when she yawned again. He cleaned up and turned off all the lights while she was in the bathroom. When he stepped out of the master bathroom, he saw that she’d flipped back the covers on his side of the bed. He briefly wondered how she knew he’d been thinking about sleeping in her guest room.   
“I was going to…” He moved his hand towards the door.  
“I wish you wouldn't.” She managed to keep her voice flat, but her eyes were pleading with him to stay.   
“I don’t want to hurt you.”  
“I won’t hold you unaccountable for any and all aches.”  
He dipped his head momentarily in thought before moving to his side of her bed and sitting down to take off his slippers. He turned off the light and slipped under the covers. As she scooted over, he stretched his arm out so she could put her head on his shoulder and lay her arm over his abdomen.

She gave him a few minutes to relax before she started talking, knowing sometimes he was more forthcoming when she couldn’t see his face.   
“Are you angry at me because I was captured or because it took me so long to escape?” She felt the muscles in his neck tense. “Or maybe both.” She knew she’d let him down and she was dreading hearing him say it out loud, but she also wanted it over with. She hated the tension that had settled between them.  
“I have no reason to be angry with you.”  
“And yet you are.” She was rubbing her middle finger over her thumbnail without realizing it. “You’re disappointed that I let my guard down. You trained me better than that.”  
“He’d been plotting this for weeks. I mean, hell, he cloned you. This wasn’t a spur of the moment grab because you let your guard down.”   
She slightly turned her head and pressed her cheek against his shoulder. “Then you’re just disappointed that it took me so long to escape?”  
“I’m not disappointed in you.” His arm tightened around her. “I’m impressed as hell actually. You kept your head about yourself and made it home.”  
Dread gripped her and her stomach tightened into a knot. “Are you upset I made it home?”  
“What?” He pulled his head back and looked down at her. She could feel his glare even though it was dark and she was avoiding looking up at his face. “That’s insane.”   
She was making him angrier, and she knew it would be best to back off, but she couldn’t let it go. She needed to know what was bothering him. “Maybe you were relieved when you thought I was dead. It would have been an easy way out of this.” Her chin was fluttering as she held back the tears that wanted to fall. If she was right, he was about to rip her in two.  
“No.” There was a touch of panic in his voice. His free hand came up and cupped her cheek, lifting her face towards his. “Absolutely not. Never.” He bent his head and captured her lips in a desperate kiss.

He pulled back from her when he felt a lone tear slid down her cheek and land on his upper lip. “Sam.” He tried to pull her even closer. “When I found out who...I thought it would be better for you to have died than be in his hands.”  
Sam gasped as reality dawned on her. “Oh, Jack.” Her hand slid up from his chest to the back of his neck, pulling on him until he was laying on his side. He pressed his face against the side of her neck. “You would have rather died than keep getting revived?” His lack of a response told her she was right. ”But he kept reviving you.”  
She felt him swallow. “I asked Daniel to make it end.” He’d never told her that. They’d only briefly talked about his captivity once after an especially bad nightmare.   
“I’m so sorry.” She pulled back from him and searched for his eyes. “But I’m so glad you survived. Not only would I have hated missing out on this, but if you’d died, I never would have forgiven myself.”  
“Forgiven yourself? For what?” He knew she was biting her lower lip even though he couldn’t see it. “Sam? Forgiven yourself for what?”  
“It was my fault you allowed yourself to become a host.”  
He shook his head. “No...no...I knew what was at stake.”  
“Jack.” Her tone was no nonsense. There was no point in denying the truth that her pleading had pushed him to accept the unpalatable offer all those years ago.  
“Right.” His thumb traced her cheekbone. “But now we’re both here, safe, together.”  
“Safe and together.” She smiled before she leaned back in for another soft kiss. “I wasn’t lying when I said he never hurt me. He was actually almost a gentleman, you know, for a kidnapping evil tyrant.”  
“He knew if he laid a hand on you, I’d track him to the end of the universe.”  
“Maybe.” She grinned. “But I also think he might like me a little.”  
Jack rolled his eyes. “Of course he does.” His voice conveyed an annoyance.  
“What does that mean?”   
“It means yet another male has been trapped by the beauty and brilliance of Samantha Carter. I have an even longer list of competitors out there now.”  
Sam snorted. “You don’t have any competition.” She kissed him deeply. “None at all.”  
Jack rolled onto his back, pulling her with him. “I feel better, better enough to sleep in fact.”  
“So do I.”


End file.
